4m FT8 (Friday)

 As I have no 4m antenna, I am using my 8m dipole, tuned via the auto ATU in the FT-710 So far just spotted today by G3SHK (200km) and no Es.

UPDATE 0935z: One G QSO with a station in the UK near Coventry - G4AEH (124km) and again a spot of me by EA6SA (1423km).

UPDATE 1030z: 3 spots of me with 2 QSOs, the furthermost being EA6SA (1423km). Several spots of Spanish stations plus ZB2GI (1848m).

UPDATE  1301z:    Spotted by 10 stations on 4m FT8 (see map). As HC02 (Portugal) was concerned by my timing (even though it should be sync'd to internet time), I have just done a re-sync.

UPDATE 2012z: 65 stations spotted my 4m FT8 today, even with my 8m wire dipole (see map)!

Gobbledegook - NOT amateur radio

I have just received an email from Google AdSense and I am none the wiser!  In my view it is total rubbish. To my mind, it was total gobbledegook.  

Please may I have this in plain English?  

Rallies this weekend

For once, a good weather forecast for a Bank Holiday weekend!

The following rallies have been notified to me, although I always recommend checking the details with organisers before travelling.

Saturday May 27th  - Barry Amateur Radio Society Rally , Sully, CF64 5SP. Contact Steve 07368 140795.

Sunday May 28th    - Durham and District ARS Radio Rally, Bowburn Co. Durham, DH6 5AT. Contact dadars@gmx.com 

8m disappointment this Es season

Both FT8 and WSPR have been given a try on 40.680 MHz.  Apart from Hugh HC02 in Portugal, I have had few spots this season.  My impression is there are fewer people on than last year. 

I know Es has been less good until recently and things could change. For those experimenting on 8m, the more stations on the better, with widespread monitors, even if unable to TX. 

Some quite odd antennas may well be good enough with Es, so if you have a RX capable of monitoring 40.680 MHz, that is probably all you need. 

If 28 MHz looks promising, it may be worth monitoring 40.680 MHz.

This is the real boundary between HF and VHF and a lot may possible.

Sunspots - Friday May 26th 2023

Solar flux is 152 and the SSN 150.  A=11 and K=2. 

10m QRP WSPR (Thursday)

 When on 4m FT8, I am on 10m WSPR QRP TX with 500mW. 

UPDATE 1620z: I was wondering why I had got no 10m WSPR spots in the last hour. It helps if you turn the beacon on!! Guess who had forgotten? Doh!

UPDATE 1704z:  4 unique stations have spotted my QRP so far today.

UPDATE 1928z: 10 stations have spotted my 10m 500mW WSPR today (see table).

4m FT8

 Using my 8m dipole tuned via the auto-ATU in the FT-710, I am on 70.154 MHz FT8. So far, 4 Gs have spotted me with the furthermost G4HGI (244km). No Es yet and nobody spotted on RX.

UPDATE 1905z:  At last some 4m Es, with the furthermost a spot of me by EA6SA (1423km) in the Balearics who gave me a good report. Also a station in Northern Ireland has received me. 6 stations have spotted me on 4m today (see map).

Goodestone Water Gardens - NOT amateur radio

About 2 miles from the National Trust property at Oxborough Hall in Norfolk are the Gooderstone Water Gardens. 

We practically had these to ourselves.  

If going to Oxborough, these are well worth visiting.

See https://www.gooderstonewatergardens.co.uk/ .

10m QRP FT8 (Thursday)

 At the moment I am on 10m FT8 with 2.5W.  So far, 10 stations have spotted me. On RX at 1442z, 40 stations have been spotted.

Sunspots - Thursday May 25th 2023

Solar flux is 164 and the SSN 153.  A=12 and K=2 .